Can you tell me what you're thinking of a little more specifically than that?

I'm thinking about something like... a more comprehensive version of Dramatic Damsel, that requires Fated Lovers, and only applies to people Fated to be my Lovers. Does that make sense?

I think I can see what you're getting at, and that absolutely makes perfect sense! I'll add it to my list.

Do you have any other questions for me in the meantime?

I'm not sure.

Would it be too distracting if I asked you what life as a cosmic notebook is like?

Not at all! ♡

I promise I'm usually much less cosmic than this, though. Part of the reason why I chose to be a notebook is actually because notebooks are very nonthreatening! But it's hard to be nonthreatening to someone you saved from the brink of nonexistence, so things are a little different here between us. I hope you're still all right.

I'm... managing. It helps to have something to focus on. Also to be offered immense cosmic power, that's a pretty big upside right there.

So you're saying you're usually just an ordinary notebook? That can write in itself, I guess? And you, what, appear mysteriously on people's desks?

In some worlds I go so far as to be manufactured by ordinary processes and purchased legitimately! But in every world, I'm guaranteed by the Spirit that the first person who ends up writing in me will be the person I'm meant to talk to.

It was actually pretty weird, being the first one to write to you. I know intellectually that this instance of me can't possibly interact with anyone other than you, but my instincts are still saying, 'But how can you be sure you've got the right person?!'

Oh, wow, that must be so weird! Do you ever get tempted to write in yourself before you meet the right person?

Not with these instincts yelling about it I don't!

Actually, I don't even get to the point of thinking about it most of the time. I don't really get bored, so I can be just as happy to wait for the Spirit's chosen vessel for two seconds or two decades. But I bet even if I did think of it, I would still never do it, because I'd be so worried that it would mess things up.

I can imagine being tempted to construct an entire fictional conversation between yourself and a different person... but I guess it's probably for the best that you don't do things like that.

Oh, wow, definitely! I couldn't possibly mislead the Spirit's chosen like that. It would be... abandoning some really important principles about this job and how I do it.

I think I see what you mean about it maybe being fun, though, if it was just like a story I was telling them, and not me really trying to make them think they were reading a real conversation I'd had.

I bet being a talking notebook opens up all kinds of storytelling possibilities! Do you have a page limit? I managed pink highlighter earlier, do you have any ink limitations?

There's a limit to the number of pages that can physically fit between my covers, but I can shuffle pages in and out and rearrange them, and I don't have a limit to how many pages I could have tucked away in... well, come to think of it, we're sort of in the space where my pages get tucked away right now, actually. It's a little different here, but in a way you're getting to see behind the curtain of the cosmic notebook! ✨

(I feel very silly calling myself that.)

Rosy discovers that, somehow, without a body, she can still giggle. She draws little hearts all over that addendum.

I figured out that first power you asked for! What do you think?

Name: Opening Up - Cost: 4 ☐
(Replaces GGG)
Being with you gives your true love more capacity to be adventurous, in or out of the bedroom. Although these adventures might have consequences, those consequences will never be devastating, and it will always turn out that finding out what these things are like is worth the consequences of trying them.

That's perfect!

I'm so glad! ♡

If I take Isekai Roulette, and I care a lot about getting to go home eventually, I'll end up somewhere that will let me find my way home on my own, right?

Yes, of course! The path home might not be simple or straightforward, but if you take Isekai Roulette and you care a lot about getting to go home, you will eventually do that.

Unless something really weird is going on. Like for example, if you had someone you wanted to go home to, but only because they had cast a terrible curse on you that made you want to be with them, Isekai Roulette might send you somewhere that would break the curse instead of somewhere that would get you home.

I see what you mean, and I think that makes Isekai Roulette the right choice for me. Thanks.

I'm looking at the appearance powers, like Angelic Tones and Emerald Orbs, and I'm noticing that I kind of want them but don't really have room for them in my budget. I didn't want to take Flashy because I can imagine myself living a life where it's important to be able to sneak around sometimes, especially if I also have Very Distinctive. Do you think you could make another drawback that might help offset the appearance powers in a different direction? I'm not sure what kind of drawback it should be, exactly...

Oh, interesting! I think I see what you're going for. I can definitely think about that! It might be harder than the Dramatic Damsel upgrade because it's so open-ended, though. Let me know if you think of any ideas for directions I could try that would work well for you!

Thanks! I'll think about it.

I think I've figured out those drawbacks you wanted! The one about Fated Lovers and Dramatic Damsel, I mean. It sort of turned into two drawbacks while I was thinking about it.

Name: Love Is A Battlefield - Grants: +5 ☐
(Requires Dramatic Damsel)
You can never have a perfect defense against your love interests. Though your defensive powers may hinder them, they can always find a way through. This applies to anyone you're romantically interested in, and to anyone chosen for you by Fated Lovers. As your relationship with them intensifies, your defenses lower further where they're concerned. Breaking up with them has no effect on your vulnerability.

Name: Seen With The Heart - Grants: +3 ☐
(Requires Love Is A Battlefield and Selective Memory)
To the extent that you're vulnerable to someone through Love Is A Battlefield, they also have unusual insight into powers you possess that you may not be aware of. Taking They'll Know strengthens this effect.

Are you sure you can't read my mind? I guess you never said you can't read my mind. My point is, those are exactly what I was looking for, thank you very much.

I can't read your mind, but I do have a lot of experience with this sort of thing! I'm really glad you like them. Now to see if I can get anywhere on that other drawback you wanted...